Tensions Between Writing vs. Speech

Blog #4 for Module 4: Analytical Response to "Reading Images: Multimodality, Representation and New Media"

     Gunther Kress, author of Reading Images: Multimodality, Representation and New Media, is a "professor of semiotics (philosophical theory of signs and symbols) and education in the Department of Culture, Communication, and Media at the Institute of Eduction Of the University of London" (Gunther Kress). In this writing, Kress discusses his take on the central concerns that differentiates the medium of the book versus the medium of the screen and their individual importances under different circumstances. The circumstances that which Kress referred to were situational. Moreover, he described how each medium shifts in forms of reading, authority, knowledge, and within the social/natural world.

     In the section of his piece titled, "Modes and their affordances: the materiality of modes", Kress brings up an interesting idea when he stresses the need to consider the materiality of modes. He uses the example of speech being a material of human sound and writing being a material of graphic substance to paint a better picture in the reader's mind. With this, Kress brings up an excellent point in describing that the two material modes are not interchangeable, simply because there are things you can do with speech that which you cannot do with writing, and likewise for writing versus speech. In that, he states,

                   "The up and down of the voice, which produces the melody of (English) speech, makes many meanings, from straightforward questions to highly modulated ones: imagine saying, in a tone of incredulity, ”you did what?”; to many varying forms of emotion and affect. Even highly experienced writers find it impossible to reproduce these meanings in writing and need to take recourse to devices such as '… she said incredulously'". 

     I find that there is great truth to his claim. Additionally, it is interesting to wonder how to link the two materials, so that both can be utilized and perceived in the same manner and interchangeably so. Kress then theorizes how the increasing use of image could potentially level the differences between writing and speech. This made me think of the use of digital images within our blogs and even within our ignite talks and how those digital images beneficially impacted the general engagement and understanding of the class.